Kitchen travels: readers' recipes tested in Sunset's kitchens - Food: Kitchen Cabinet

Sunset, April, 2003

Singapore Chicken Stew Roxanne Chan, Albany, CA Roxanne Chan likes the way coconut milk smooths out the assertive spices in this quick chicken dish. If you can't find Chinese five spice, substitute equal parts ground cinnamon, ground cloves, ground ginger, and anise seeds.

PREP AND COOK TIME: About 35 minutes

MAKES: 4 servings

  1 pound boned, skinned
    chicken breasts
  2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon hot chili flakes
1/2 teaspoon Chinese five spice
    (see note above)
  1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
  1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
  1 can (13.5 oz.) coconut milk
  1 can (14.5 oz.) fat-skimmed
    chicken broth
  2 cups lightly packed washed baby
    spinach leaves (about 4 oz.
  1 can (14 oz.) baby corn, drained
  2 Roma tomatoes (about 8 oz.
    total), rinsed, cored, and chopped
1/4 cup sliced canned
    water chestnuts
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
  1 tablespoon lime juice
  3 tablespoons chopped fresh
    cilantro leaves

1. Rinse chicken, pat dry, and cut into 1-inch chunks. In a bowl, mix flour, salt, chili flakes, and five spice. Add chicken pieces and mix to coat.

2. Pour oil into a 4- to 5-quart pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken mixture, garlic, and ginger. Stir frequently until chicken is cooked on the outside but still pink in the center (cut to test), about 3 minutes. Add coconut milk and broth and bring to a simmer. Adjust heat to maintain a simmer, cover, and cook to blend flavors, about 5 minutes. 3. Stir in spinach, corn, tomatoes, water chestnuts, green onions, and lime juice and cook, stirring often, until spinach is wilted, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro before serving from pan.

Per serving: 429 cal., 57% (243 cal.) from fat; 33 g protein; 27 g fat (19 g sat.); 18 g carbo (5.2 g fiber); 499 mg sodium; 68 mg chol.

Eggs Baja

Mickey St rang, McKinleyville, CA

Weekend brunch inspired Mickey Strang to create this open-faced egg sandwich.

PREP AND COOK TIME: About 20 minutes

MAKES: 4 servings

  4 slices bacon (about 4 oz. total)
  4 large eggs
    Salt and pepper
  4 slices sourdough bread
    (about 3 by 6 in. and 1/2 in. thick
  1 firm-ripe tomato (about 8 oz.),
    rinsed, cored, and sliced
  2 canned whole green chilies,
    halved lengthwise
1/2 cup shredded jack or cheddar
    cheese
  2 tablespoons chopped
    fresh cilantro leaves

1. In a 10- to 12-inch nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat, cook bacon, turning once, until crisp and browned, 4 to 5 minutes total. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Discard fat from pan; if desired, wipe pan clean.

2. Set pan over medium heat; break eggs into pan and cook to desired doneness, turning once if you like, 2 to 5 minutes for soft yolks. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

3. Meanwhile, place bread slices on a 12-by 15-inch baking sheet. Broil 6 inches from heat until lightly toasted, 1 to 2 minutes. Turn slices over and top equally with tomato slices, chilies, and cheese. Broil until cheese is melted, 2 to 3 minutes.

4. Top each sandwich with an egg, then a slice of bacon; sprinide evenly with cilantro. Use a wide spatula to transfer each sandwich to a plate.

Per serving: 256 cal., 49% (126 cal.) from fat; 15 g protein; 14 g fat (5.6 g sat.); 17 g carbo (1.7g fiber); 492 mg sodium; 234 mg chol.

Marinated Garbanzo Salad

Stacy Garcia, Laguna Niguel, CA

This oil-free bean salad is quick to assemble and can be made up to two days ahead.

PREP AND COOK TIME: About 20 minutes, plus at least 2 hours to chill

MAKES: 4 servings

  2 cans (15 oz. each) garbanzos,
    drained and rinsed
  1 cup roasted red peppers, cut
    into strips
1/2 cup chopped red onion
  2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
    crosswise
  2 cloves garlic, peeled and
    minced
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
    leaves
1/2 cup rice vinegar
  2 tablespoons lemon juice
  1 teaspoon sugar
    Salt and pepper

In a bowl, combine garbanzos, peppers, onion, celery; garlic, cilantro, vinegar, lemon juice, and sugar; add salt and pepper to taste. Cover and chill at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.

Per serving: 187 cal., 17% (31 cal.) from fat; 8.6 g protein; 3.4 g fat (0.2 g sat.); 32 g carbo (7.1 g fiber); 325 mg sodium; 0 mg chol.

Swedish Salmon Gratin

Jennifer Kirkgaard, Pasadena

Jennifer Kirkgaard added a few of her own innovations to a favorite dish of her Swedish stepmother's.

PREP AND COOK TIME: About 11/4 hours

MAKES: 6 to 8 servings

    1 can (14.75 oz.) pink salmon
    3 large eggs
    1 cup milk
    2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
    1 tablespoon sugar
    1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 pounds russet potatoes
  1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
    2 tablespoons butter, cut
      into small chunks

Pepper

1. Drain salmon. Transfer to a bowl and remove and discard any skin and bones; flake with a fork.

2. In another bowl, whisk eggs, milk, mustard, sugar, and salt until blended.

3. Peel potatoes and cut crosswise into very thin (1/16-in.-thick) slices. Arrange about a third of the potato slices over the bottom of a 9- by 13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle half the salmon evenly over potatoes, followed by half the dill. Repeat layers, ending with potatoes. Pour milk mixture over potatoes and distribute butter chunks evenly over the top. Sprinkle generously with pepper and cover dish tightly with foil.